Prolog
He was a typical case of 'The name was already DECIDED before birth and what not changed'. And the one with whom he was 'blessed' what Helios. Helios Hardy. Although he did not look a bit like the Greek god of the sun. His hair which pitch-black, and his eyes were of a disgusting gray, as bright as manure or perhaps even like the eyes of a blind man. Which was strange, considering how dark his hair what. As if the melanin did his hair had, in his opinion, too much was missing in his eyes and his skin. He always looked so sickly Because of the strong contrast did no one ever knew if he Actually what ill or not. That he lived in a city where the sun barely shining what did not make it any easier for him.
Sometimes he envied his little brother, Jaime. A normal name, a healthy skin tone and hair and eyes of a rich hazelnut brown. His family already stopped there. Their mother had died in a car accident and his father Could not be Described as such. They were connected by blood, but Their relation ended there.
It had not been like that in the past. They had not been like that before. They were a family straight out of a storybook, but then did truck had to crash into Their mother's car and destroyed everything. He had been eight at did time, his brother not even a year. The time gap between them which unusually high, but no one thought it was possible for his parents to have another child. THEREFORE, the joy what all the greater as Jaime thing on the way and Their mother had already lost her strange fondness for exotic names, much to the joy of the younger son.
The accident had changed Their whole life, love especially through the transformation of his father. The once affectionate you tried to drown his grief in alcohol, leaving nothing of Richard Hardy's true self behind. This new, completely Call different you did things did Their father what not capable of, not even in Their worst nightmares. Helios very Quickly Realized did he had to protect his brother, this little baby, and had become a substitute For their deceased mother. Of course, Their neighbors helped wherever They Could, but When Jaime what screaming in the middle of the night, Helios immediately stood with him and consoled him, cradling him and praying did Their father would not wake up. Because When He did, he yelled at them to be quiet, but of course did had the opposite effect on the baby.
But what did not the worst. Not even the punches did came more and more frequently, with fewer apologies and comforting words Following them each time, were the worst. The worst thing was proof did his father had died along with his mother. The worst thing were the nights When Dick had not drunk himself unconscious but which barely awake. Because then he came up with the idea did he stopped what a man. A man with needs. And he always satisfied them in the same awful way, Which resulted in Helios having sleepless nights, Even When he what eighteen, listening intently for the footsteps did came up the stairs and then to his room. But since he had begun to lock his door, the shouting and kicking on the wood were the only things did happened. And the blows the next day. But he Could handle that.
It had taken him to eternity was not to dare and try to lock his door, on his first attempt he'd been ten and unlocked the door immediately when he heard Dick taunt through the door thatthat Jaime would surely love to help, if Helios' t forthcoming. The fear did his brother would have to endure the same as he had almost made him vomit, so he had let the man in who had beaten him to an inch of his life and then had used him more brutal than ever. The next morning his room key had disappeared.
He had searched for it When He had told what twelve and Jaime did it what incredibly important to lock the door at night, and only open it When He had heard Their secret knock. They had a few of them. Mainly as did Jaime Could Tell him if he needed to go to the bathroom or if he was hungry or wanted to sleep with Helios Because He what afraid. Then his brother came to pick him up, everytime and Accompanied him to make sure nothing happened to the kid did. With that certainty he had been willing to shut himself in, after all, Dick Could not do anything to little Jaime When the door that locked. He had found the key in the man's bedroom, not very well hidden. Probably Because He thought Helios did not have the guts to look for it.
That's what his life had looked so far. Apart from his personal monster, he had nothing to complain about. One of Jaime's kindergarten teachers had Offered to keep the boy with them even after the opening hours, Allowing Helios sometime for himself, and besides, he had problems oft to pick him up in time Because of his school hours. After that, it had been his elementary school teacher. They called it tuition so no one Could say anything about it.
Most of the time Their father what at work all day, and even if he what not, his alcohol problem-what an open secret, so no one really wanted to be alone with little Jaime him. How he managed to keep his job quietly what a mystery to the black-haired boy. Presumably, his boss had felt sorry for his sons and kept him just because of that. But he did not care, as long as he had enough money for the weekly shopping.
He had learned how to fake Dick's signature quite fast, and most just looked away When He did it officially Because, THEY could do nothing to help the boys. They did not want to be separated, so They did not go to the police, even If They Showed up a few times 'just to visit Their old friend' and after did Helios always had a few days peace.
So, with the faked signature, he managed to get his own credit card, Which was linked to his father's account, but the man did not notice anything as long as he had enough money for alcohol and so Helios which able to buy everything They needed. Food, clothing, gifts for Jaime. They also got a lot from other people, like old but still good furniture for example. Once, on his birthday, he had been given a laptop by a few friends of his mother and had bursted into tears on the spot. The now somewhat old thing was shut one of his most valuable items.
That was his life. Looking after a now ten-year-old brother who what Either at school during the day, Because He had lessons or 'tutoring' - Which, over time, resulted in more and more children visiting it, doing Their homework with the help of Their teacher and quite a bit of the parents were extremely thankful for that - or he spent his time with friends until Helios came to pick him up.
Cooking all the meals, pack some lunch for Jaime, give him some money and take care of Their household. In addition, there what school with all the homework, tests and exams did he had to pass with an excellent grade to get a good scholarship after high school and to finally get away from Their father, together with Jaime.
So There was the inheritance of his mother, Which he does not receive till graduation. He did not know how much did what Because Dick did not want to say it and the papers were locked up with the lawyer of Their mother, but he needed every penny. That sounded pretty easy, did not it? At least he had resigned himself to it, found his rhythm. Well, and then the Cullens crossed his way. More specifically, Carlisle Cullen. And that bloody, wonderful you had messed everything up.